Flexible shaft.



PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

0. F. O. MBHLIG. FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZZ. 190s.

fi c igi CHARLES E. C. MEHLIG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

rrion.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1905. Serial No 261,489.

7 Patented March 27, 1906.

T0 at whom! it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. O. MEHLIG, a citizen of the United States, resid'ng' at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Flexible Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a flexible shaft adapted for transmitting movement and power from the drivin -shaft of a fixed or unitary prime mover to the driven shaft of some mechanical structure or tool in line therewith or at any dersired or necessary inclination or angle thereto.

My invention is applicable for general uses in the arts and manufactures, and is especially ada ted for use in dental engines and similar app iances or light machinery; and the object of my invention is to produce a flexible shaft es ecially for such use that shall not only be lig t in weight and compact in form, but one in which there shall be substantially no lost motion or backlash and a maximum amount of freedom of movement in. any departure froma straight line or in any angle.

In carryin out my inven ion, and in combination with the ends of the riving and driven shafts having sphere or socket terminations,

I employ a series of similar parts each comprising a sphere and socket preferably made mtegral, t 1e spheres and sockets progressively alternating, so that each socket receives and engages a sphere. The spheres are erforated to receive axial pins and the soc ets provided with central opposite slots from their edges inward receiving the ends of the pins. 'ihe ends of the axial pins e reerably reduced and provided with opposite fiat faces adapted to bear against the opposite faces of the slots. I have shown and prefer to place the axial pins of adjacent spheres at right angles to one another, so as to percep;

tibly increase the flexibility of the connected arts forming the shaft. Each integral soc et 'and sphere is preferably formed or turned from a solid block of metal and bored out to receive the spheres, the sockets comprising about two hundred and fifty degrees of the circle in order to engage the spheres effectively.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation and partial section illustrating the device of my invention, the parts being broken throu h to indicate indefinite length. Fig. 2 is an e evation of the driving-shaft end and itssphere. Fig. is an elevation and partial section of an elevation and partial section of a connect: ed sphere and soc et, andFig. 5 a perspective View of one axial pin.

a re resents one end of the-driving-shaft of a fixe or unitary prime mover on the free end the driven shaft end and its socket. 4 is of which there is an integral sphere a,having opposite slots 3, formed in from the edges thereof. The similar parts in series each comprise a sphere c and socket (1, preferably formed integral. These parts are advantageously turned from a block of metal and the socketsbored out to receive the spheres, after which the sockets are turned in upon the spheres to engage and 'hold the same, said sockets each being preferably about two hundred and fift degrees of the circle in order to engage the spheres effectively. These spheres and sockets are arranged so as to progress alternately, each socket engaging an adjacent sphere. Axial ins extend through the apertures 2 of the sp ieres, e representing ends thereof. These reduced ends in one direction are of the width of the axial pins, the

reduction being'formed by making opposite flat faces in which the reduced ends between the faces are of a width agreeing with the width of the slots, so that the flat faces bear on opposite sides of the slots, the points of contact thus being liberal and providing for wear. The axial pins. because of the flat. ends in the slots are dbliged to turn in the spheres. I have shown and prefer to employ the axial pins of adjacent spheres at right angles to one another, so as to increase the flexibility of the connected parts forming the shaft, as practice goes to prove that because of this construction there is greater flexibility and possibility of movement of the parts.

Furthermore, the useful life of the pins and slots is increased by the pins being round and turning in the spheres :and the flat opposite faces of the pins 'moving through the slots.

The construction shown and describ edherein for m flexible shaft admits of the same being ma e of any size, according to the use to which the shaft is to be put, as it is adapted in large sizes for heavy work-as well as in small and light-sizes for dental engines and similar or like machines.

nd the spheres centriilly pc I chri in as my invention- 1. A llOXlbiG shaft, consisting of a series of snnllsr connected parts, each part comprising nsphere and socket, axial pins connecting the same for turning movement, and sheft-end terminations.

2. A flexible shaft, consisting of a series of similar connected parts, each part comprising a sphere end intcgrnl socket, the sockets ininstions. v 3. A flexible shaft, (JOIXSJSUDQ' olln series of j similar connected parts, each part con1pr1smg a sphere and integral socket, the-sockets engaging thesphercs in progression and slot,

ted mm the edges inward at opposite sides, and the spheres centrally perloreted, axial nine in said prn;[orntions with reduced ends having ilzrt opposite s, said flat feces contecti with the per pposite edges of the SlOUS and moving Qirough the slots,compolling the axial pins to turn in the spheres, and shsfbcnd terminations.

L- A ilcxihle shul't, comprising a drivingshaft end and sphere termination, a driven slnil'tend and socket termination, and an intervening series of similar unitary parts, each part comprising asphere and socket, the socksockets.

5. A flexible shaft, comprising a drivingsheft'end and sphere termination, a driven shaft end and socket termination, and an in:

Leritening series of similar unitary parts, each part comprising e sphere and socket, the sockets engaging tl e spheres and the parts being free to move in relation to one another the sockets being, provided with opposite slots in "line with the said connected parts, and the sphenes with axial pins having reduced ends with flattened opposite faces, the said ends being received in'the slots, which in width agree with the Width of the flattened ends of the pins, so that the flattened faces hear upon 0 posite edges of the slots and move through t 10 slots, compelling the pins tomove in the 55 spheres.

Signed by me this 19th day of May, 1905.

C. F. O. MEHLIG.

Witnesses:

' Geo. T. FINoKNIcY, S. T. HAVlLAND. 

